Forever the gentleman, David Santry radiated with wit, kindness and a twinkle in his eye.
He died on July 18 in New York City, following a valiant fight with heart disease.
Born in Salem on June 21, 1945, and raised in Marblehead, where five generations of his family have lived, he graduated from Marblehead High School in 1963, from Brown University in 1967 and from the Wharton School of Finance in 1969. Following two years in the US Army, he started his career in finance as a journalist, soon becoming the Wall Street columnist for Business Week.
He left journalism when the Dow was 800 to work as a research analyst, later as director of research at The Boston Company. Afterward, as a managing director of Oppenheimer Capital, he managed large scale institutional funds for clients in the United States and abroad.
Sports played an important role throughout his life. As a New England schoolboy, he was captain of the ice hockey and cross country teams. In his early career days in the 1970s, he was one of the fastest runners in Central Park, competing in 18 marathons in New York and Boston, three of which were under two-and-a-half hours.
In recent years, he developed a passion for field sports and the conservation of wildlife, both in the United States and the United Kingdom. He was a trustee of Game Conservancy USA, which supports research and education initiatives in wildlife management.
His belief in the value sports plays in college life is reflected in his enduring support for Brown University’s football program and other collegiate sports. He has served as a trustee of the Brown University Sports Foundation.
He was a member of the Eastern Yacht Club, the Pawling Mountain Club, the New York Athletic Club and the University Club of New York.
He is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Suzanne Rauffenbart Santry of New York and his adoring niece, Tara McNamara and her three children, Santry Vied, Ruby Vied and Jamison Vied, all of Marblehead.
A memorial Mass will be held at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church on Thursday, Sept. 4, at 11 a.m. with a reception to follow at the Boston Yacht Club.
Donations in his memory may be made to the Marblehead All Sports Boosters, PO Box 244, Marblehead, MA 01945.
